The Occult
Genesis 2:17
"But of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil,
thou shalt not eat of it:
for in the day that thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die."
Deuteronomy 18:10-12
"
There shall not be found among you
any one ... that useth divination,
or an observer of times,
or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer,
a consulter with familiar spirits,
or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things
are an abomination unto the Lord..."
THE WORD OCCULT REFERS TO
THINGS WHICH ARE COVERED OVER,
THINGS WHICH ARE MYSTERIOUS, CONCEALED, OR HIDDEN.
TO BE INVOLVED IN THE OCCULT
IS ATTEMPTING TO GO BEYOND THE 5 SENSES
FOR GAINING KNOWLEDGE AND
UNDERSTANDING.
DEUT.29:29 SAYS
THE SECRET THINGS BELONG TO THE LORD OUR GOD,
BUT THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE REVEALED BELONG TO US
AND TO OUR CHILDREN FOREVER,
THAT WE MAY DO
ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW.
Included in things of the occult are precognition (or fortune-telling), ESP, telepathy, clairvoyance, automatic writing, ouija boards and games that claim a magical or demonically spiritual orientation, astrology, horoscopes, tea leaf reading, palmistry, techniques of mind expansion, drugs, hypnotism, mind control, transcendental meditation, yoga, sorcery or witchcraft, physical phenomena, telekinesis, levitation, astral projection, spiritism, seances and satanism, animal and human sacrifices,etc.
Occultism often involves drugs, idolatry and sexual perversion.
Science cannot explain Occult power
but classifies and research's it
as paranormal cosmic power.
Its power source is not of God,
nor is it natural latent in the human psyche,
although it is explained as such.
In DEUT. 18:10-12 GOD STRICTLY FORBIDS BELIEVERS
TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THE OCCULT.
THERE IS NO CHRISTIAN FORM OF fortune telling, astrology, ouji board, visualization, or astral travel, channeling, angelic communication or talking to the dead. The biggest danger is that these concepts are christianized for acceptance ,
the names are changed so one does not know immediately what they are engaged in. As a
Christian; They can then practice unknowingly what is forbidden. Satan does counterfeit many practices he also invents many too.
Occult practices promise to give an experience of
extra power. This comes through the magazines, and
newspapers advertising the powers of the mind,
to gain control over themselves, their lives,things around them, and others! This is what attracts people into this activity. Yet once they gain this power They become subject to it,prisoners to the one thing that they thought would help set them free.
Occult practices can be passed on to the 3rd and 4th generation in families. By seeking out occult arts and knowledge, or power; one is refusing the true GOD and is indirectly replacing Him with worship and allegiance to another god..
EX.20:3-5 TELLS OF OUR PUNISHMENT FOR DOING THIS.
DEUT.29:26 TELLS US THAT THE ISRAELITES WENT AFTER AND SERVED OTHER GODS AND WORSHIPPED THEM, GODS THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW AND THAT HE THE LORD HAD NOT
GIVEN TO THEM.
MANY CAN BE SUFFERING TODAY THROUGH DEMONIC OPPRESSION AND
CONTROL BECAUSE OF THEIR PARENTS, GRAND PARENTS, OR GREAT GRAND PARENTS INVOLVEMENT IN THE
OCCULT. IF AS A CHRISTIAN WE ARE AWARE OF SOMEONE IN OUR FAMILY THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THIS
PRACTICE, WE SHOULD PRAY A PRAYER OF RENUNCIATION TO BREAK THE CONTROL OR OPPRESSION
PASSED ON IN THE GENERATIONS. THIS IN NO WAY IS A PROMOTION FOR GENERATIONAL CURSES. IT
IS A WAY TO MAKE SOMEONE AWARE OF A SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE THAT CAN OPPRESS THEM AND
PLAGUE THEM HINDERING THEIR WALK WITH THE LORD.
SPIRITS CANNOT JUST ENTER OR, TAKE CONTROL OF A PERSON. OCCULT
PRACTICES ALMOST ALWAYS REQUIRE A MEDITATIVE, OR PASSIVE STATE. BY DOING THIS WE ARE
ALLOWING THEM CONTROL, EMPTYING OURSELVES, NEUTRALIZING OUR MIND IS THE EASIEST WAY TO
ALLOW ANOTHER TO HAVE CONTROL.
Deut. 18:10-15There shall not be found
among you anyone w ho makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses ,divination,
one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a
sorcerer, or one who casts-,a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist,
or one who calls up the dead (Necromancer). For whoever does these things is detestable
to the Lord and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them
out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For those nations,
which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but
as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so. The Lord you God
will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall
listen to Him." (Prophecy of the Messiah Jesus)These are the biblical terms defined, those
involved in these practices may not see themselves described as this nor call
themselves by such terms.
DIVINATION-- (Hebrew ‘qecem’) THE ART THAT SEEKS TO
DISCOVER HIDDEN KNOWLEDGE. TO DETERMINE BY LOT OR MAGIC, TO FORETELL THE FUTURE--PROPHESY.
TO DISCOVER KNOWLEDGE BY OCCULT OR SUPERNATURAL MEANS (SAME AS A SOOTHSAYER FORETELLS THE
FUTURE (Deut. 18:10; I Sam 15:23; Jer. 14:14; Ezek. 13:6; 23; 21:21).
OUIJI BOARD, I CHING, CRYSTAL BALL, DREAMS AND VISIONS, TEA LEAF
READING.
OBSERVER OF TIMES-- (Hebrew ’anan’) A METHOD OF
FORETELLING AND EXPLAINING THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. UNDERSTANDING A PERIOD OR ERA OF
TIME, AND WHY CERTAIN CONDITIONS PREVAIL.A SOOTHSAYER, ASTROLOGER, PSYCHIC(Lev. 19:26;
Deut. 18:10-15; 2 Kings 21:6; Isa. 57:3; Mic. 5:12). Isa. 47:10-13 "For you have
trusted in your wickedness; you have said, 'No one sees me'; your wisdom and your
knowledge have warped you; and you have said in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one
else besides me.' Therefore evil shall come upon you; you shall not know from where it
arises. And trouble shall fall upon you; you will not be able to put it off. And
desolation shall come upon you suddenly, which you shall not know. "Stand now with
your enchantments and the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your
youth-- perhaps you will be able to profit, perhaps you will prevail. You are
wearied in the multitude of your counsels; let now the astrologers, the stargazers, and
the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you from what shall come upon you.ASTROLOGY, NUMEROLOGY, PALMISTRY, TAROT CARDS, TEA LEAVES
ENCHANTER-- (Hebrew ‘nachash’)TO CHARM GREATLY,
LEARN BY EXPERIENCES, TAKES PART IN SECRET THINGS,WHISPER MAGIC INCANTATIONS, CASTS
SPELLS, SEDUCTIVE. (Lev. 19:3,26,31; Deut. 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17; 21:6; 2 Chron.
33:6;Isa.8:19-20). MEDITATION, HOLISTIC HEALTH, YOGA, SUBLIMINAL TAPES, MANTRAS,
HYPNOTISM.ASTRAL TRAVEL
WITCH-- (Hebrew ‘kashaph’,root from kesheph) A
WOMAN SOCERESS, Wiccans,
Witch
INVOLVES CONTACTING THE-SPIRITS TO DO YOUR BIDDING, CASTING
SPELLS AND INCANTATIONS FOR MATERIAL WELL BEING AND PLEASURES IN LIFE. HERBALIST THAT CASTS
SPELLS, ALCHEMY (Exod. 22:18; Deut. 18:10-12; 2 Chron. 33:6 ). II Ki 21:6 Also he made his
son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted
Spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to
anger.
CHARMER--ANY FORMULA OR ACTION SUPPOSING TO HAVE MAGIC
POWER USING TRINKET OR A PIECE OF JEWELRY WORN ON THE BODY TO ATTRACT THROUGH PERSONALITY,
BEAUTY, FASCINATION: USING AN IRRESISTABLE POWER--OF PLEASING AND ALLURING INFLUENCE,
TO
ATTRACT ONES OWN DESIRES.(Isa.19:,31 Isa.8:19-20)
TALISMAN, CRYSTALS, OCCULT SYMBOLS,
MEDIUM OR CONSULTER OF FAMILIAR SPIRITS- (Hebrew
‘owb’)-A PERSON WHO CONJURE UP OR CONTACT THE SPIRITS OF SUPPOSED DEAD PEOPLE
WHO THEY OR OTHERS ONCE KNEW, SPIRITS THAT ARE IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM (ASTRAL REALM, OTHER
DIMENSIONS.) A MEDIUM CONTROLLED BY A FAMILIAR SPIRIT. (Lev. 19:31; 20:6; 20:27; Deut.
18:11; I Sam. 28:3; 2 Kings 21:6; 23:24; I Chron. 10:13; 2 Chron. 33:6; Isa. 19:3). Isa
8:19-20 And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who
whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on
behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to
this word, it is because there is no light in them.
CHANNELING, SPIRITISM, ASCENDED MASTERS COMMUNICATION, SPACE
BROTHERS, ANOTHER JESUS, INVISIBLE FRIENDS IN KINDERGARTEN
1 JOHN 4:1--BELOVED, BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT, BUT TEST THE
SPIRITS WHETHER THEY ARE OF GOD: BECAUSE MANY FALSE PROPHETS HAVE GONE OUT INTO THE
WORLD.
WIZARD--(Hebrew ‘yidde’) A PERSON
WHO IS KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE OCCULT ARTS, IN TOUCH WITH THE SPIRIT WORLD. A CONJURER, TO
SUMMON UP A DEVIL OF A SPIRIT BY INVOCATION OR SPELL. TO PRODUCE BY MAGI OR TO
BRING TO MIND AS IF BY MAGIC. BOOKS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE: KABALA, HANDBOOK OR
WITCHES AND SPELLS .(Lev. 19:31; 20:6, 20:27; Deut. 18:11-12; I Sam 28:3, 2 Kings 21:6;
23:24; 2 Chron. 33:6; Isa 19:3)
VISUALIZATION, SHAMAN, SORCERER, ASTRAL TRAVEL, DECREEING,
MANTRAS, CLAIRVOYANCE
NECROMANCER--EXCLUSIVELY CONSULTS WITH SPIRITS OF THE
DISEASED AND CALLS UP PEOPLE FROM THEIR GRAVES AND DISTURBS THEIR PEACE. VOODOO, ZOMBIES
(WILL ALSO HAVE SEX WITH DEAD BODIES)
MAGICIAN (Hebrew ‘khartome’) TO USE THE OCCULT ARTS
(Acts 13:6-13). This is not the
slight of hand or planned stage show with human ability .
NEW TESTAMENT SORCERY
PHARMAKIA –Use of medicine and drugs used not for medicinal
purposes , used in spells and religious rituals and ceremonies or for ones own pleasure
includes charms amulets appealing to occult powers.
In Gal.5:19-21 it gives a list of practices that are from the
fallen nature of man that are condemned. One is called witchcraft (sorcery) this word in
the Greek language is Pharmakia where we get our word Pharmacy. These are things used to
put people under an outside influence bringing them into an altered state. That is a state
that is not natural to mind but prompted by a foreign substance. this is called sorcery
and is just as forbidden as drunkenness caused by another foreign substance, alcohol.
After the fall of Adam and Eve the ground was cursed by God it
was no longer sustaining the state he created it in that he pronounced was good. There are
plants that are medicinally good and others that are not. we should consider the bibles
actual interpretation before using the bible to validate what it actually forbids
Rev.9:21, 18:23. MAGIA—magic
wizardry or sorcery. an example of this is marijuana which can be used to alleviate side
effects in cancer patients chemo therapy. There are numerous other drugs far more
addictive then marijuana. yet it does have a medicinal use. but there are those who use it
by smoking it for spiritual use and recreation and this is where it becomes pharmakia.
Another example would be Paul telling Timothy to take a little
wine ( for medicine) for his stomachs ailments. But he also writes to Timothy, a leader in
the Church should not be given to drinking wine. So he is making a distinction of a
custom of drinking at dinner and recreation or pleasure vs. medicinal value.
This is not to promote the freedom we have to take drugs but to give the example
that they have a medicinal use. Almost all drugs are based on their original source of
plants and herbs. We should always seek a better alternative and natural does not always
mean better.
Often times we need to be reminded that spiritual warfare exists
in our lives.
Ephesians 6.10-18). When God's people do not make knowledge of
Him a priority, and His glory preeminent, given the fact of spiritual warfare, is it
really surprising some are led astray by false practices and deceitful spirits or
such deception that there are consequences. The Spirit clearly says that in later times
some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (1
Timothy 4:1, NIV) Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8, NIV) Put on the full armor of
God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
Powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians :11-12, No one who has experienced severe pain, or pain of any type, enjoys it.
But we should not go to broken cisterns which cannot satisfy.
When Saul Israel's king stopped hearing from the Lord he
went to a witch. People will always go to the occult when they can’t hear from God.
Its easier, but damage can be irreparable, certainly the consequences are eternal.
How to be Free
If you have been involved in occultism in any
form - even if you have only read about it -
renounce any specific occult activity and
occultism in general. Repent of your belief in and
practice of the occult. It is sin and an
abomination to God. Ask forgiveness of God. He
will deliver you, save you and lead you into
truth. (Romans 10:13, 1 John 1:8,9; John 1:12;
Romans 6:23; John 16:13)
You need the baptism with the Holy Spirit
to have an overcoming victorious life.
The Holy Spirit warns you concerning what is of sin and what is of God.
(John 16:7-11) By faith repent and put your faith in Christ for salvation.
(Romans 10:9,10,13) By faith, also ask the Lord to baptize you (fill you) with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 11:13)
It is the Holy Spirit who gives the ability to
stay free from the deception and spiritual bondage of occultism.
Replace occult books, magazines, etc. with
the Bible and Christian reading matter.
Seek Christian fellowship and practice Christian
living. A complete break with occultism is necessary.
If you have attempted to pray to God, change your
life, or cease occult or associated activities,
but have discovered an inability to do so, you may
need further help. God has equipped Christians to
minister to you. You do not have to remain in
spiritual bondage. Contact your local pastor to
help you locate a Christian counselor whose
ministry includes deliverance from spiritual bondage.
As You Pray
Ask for God's forgiveness and help, thank and
praise Him for His assurance of deliverance from
the occult. As you commit your life to God, ask
Him to lead you to those Christians who are
capable of helping you in your need.
"Saturate" yourself with Scriptures.
Begin with the gospel according to John.
Then read the rest of the New Testament.
Acquire a Bible study guide.
Get into a Holy Spirit-led fellowship.
Learn about Jesus and get serious with God.
And Get Filled With New Wine: First Miracle Of Jesus
You will recognize the counterfeit when you know the real God.
References/Homework
Defeated Enemies, by Corrie ten Boom
Demons in the Word Today, by Merrill Unger
The Devil's Alphabet, by Kurt Koch
His Infernal Majesty, by Dave Breese.
Occult abominations (Deuteronomy 18:9-22)
Example of God's power over occultism (Acts 13:6-12)
Occultism exposed (Jeremiah 27:9,10)
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